Automated board eraser

Abstract

An automated erasure system that is suitable for erasure of non-permanent markings from boards is disclosed. The boards being erased can be whiteboards (whether electronic or not) or other boards (e.g., chalkboards).

1. A system for automatic erasure of a board, said system comprising:
 a motor; 
 a rod having at least one gear, said rod being positioned proximate to one side of the board, and said rod capable of being rotatably driven by said motor; 
 at least one threaded rod extending at least substantially over the length of the board, said at least one threaded rod having at least one counterpart gear that is coupled against the at least one gear of said rod; 
 an eraser member having at least one threaded opening to receive said at least one threaded rod; 
 at least one non-threaded rod that extends across the board to guide said eraser member as said eraser member is being moved across the board; 
 at least one sensor operatively connected to said motor, said sensor operating to deactivate said motor and reset said system such that the driving direction for said eraser member is reversed after said eraser member has completed a pass across the board; and 
 a user switch to activate said motor, 
 wherein upon activation of said motor, said rod is rotatably driven to rotate the at least one gear as well as the at least one counterpart gear coupled thereto, thereby causing said at least one threaded rod to rotate and thereby move said eraser member across the board to erase non-permanent markings from the board. 
 
   
   
     2. A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the board has a two-dimensional surface, and
 wherein said eraser member extends in a first direction across the two-dimensional surface, and 
 wherein said motor operates to drive said eraser member across the board in a second direction while said eraser member is biased against the board. 
 
   
   
     3. A system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said system provides uniform erasure of the non-permanent markings from the board. 
   
   
     4. A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said motor is reversible in its driving direction. 
   
   
     5. A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the board is a whiteboard. 
   
   
     6. A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises:
 a force adjustment mechanism that adjustably controls the amount of force said at least one threaded rod exerts on said eraser member to force said eraser member against the board. 
 
   
   
     7. A system for automatic erasure of a board, said system comprising:
 a motor; 
 a rod having at least one gear, said rod being positioned proximate to one side of the board, the board having a two-dimensional surface, and said rod capable of being rotatably driven by said motor; 
 at least one threaded rod extending at least substantially over the length of the board, said at least one threaded rod having at least one counterpart gear that is coupled against the at least one gear of said rod; 
 at least one non-threaded rod that extends across the board to guide said eraser member as said eraser member is being moved across the board; 
 an eraser member which extends in a first direction across the two-dimensional surface and which has at least one threaded opening to receive said at least one threaded rod and said motor operates to drive said eraser member across the board in a second direction while said eraser member is biased against the board; and 
 a user switch to activate said motor, 
 wherein upon activation of said motor, said rod is rotatably driven to rotate the at least one gear as well as the at least one counterpart gear coupled thereto, thereby causing said at least one threaded rod to rotate and thereby move said eraser member across the board in a second direction while said eraser is biased against the board to erase non-permanent markings from the board, 
 at least one sensor operatively connected to said motor, said sensor operating to deactivate said motor after said eraser member has completed a pass across the board, and 
 wherein said system provides uniform erasure of the non-permanent markings from the board. 
 
   
   
     8. A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said motor is reversible in its driving direction. 
   
   
     9. A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the board is a whiteboard.